What is ankle arthroscopy?
Ankle arthroscopy is a diagnosis and treatment method for ankle joint problems. For this type of minimally invasive surgery, Dr. Guan uses an arthroscope, a slim tube that allows him to inspect your ankle from within.
Ankle arthroscopy is a good option for many issues that would normally require traditional surgery and large incisions.
What conditions can ankle arthroscopy treat?
At Bay Area Foot and Ankle Medical Clinic, Dr. Guan may treat a number of ankle issues using ankle arthroscopy. This may include ankle problems such as:
- Fractures
- Damaged cartilage
- Bone spurs
- Severe sprains (ligament tears)
- Scar tissue buildup
- Loose cartilage or bone
- Instability or weakness
- Impingement
- Infections
- Joint lining inflammation (synovitis)
- Loose pieces of tissue in the ankle joint
If your pain continues even after nonsurgical treatments like physical therapy, immobilization, or injections, Dr. Guan may perform ankle arthroscopy to find the root cause of your discomfort.
Upon diagnosis, he can often perform any necessary treatment during the same arthroscopy procedure.
What is the ankle arthroscopy process?
For an ankle arthroscopy, Dr. Guan creates a very small cut above your ankle joint. He moves the arthroscope into your ankle through this cut.
The arthroscope's tiny internal camera relays a live picture of your ankle joint to a high-definition digital video monitor, so Dr. Guan can view it up close. He can then diagnose problems within the joint.
If you have an issue that's treatable with arthroscopy, Dr. Guan can then create additional small incisions for surgical instruments to move through. In this way, he can complete your ankle repair with very minimal disruption to the skin and internal ankle structures.
What are the advantages of ankle arthroscopy over open surgery?
Ankle arthroscopy offers many advantages over open surgery, which uses long incisions. These benefits include:
- Less pain
- Minimal tissue damage to surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Lower risk of complications like infections
- Quicker recovery
- Tiny scars
Most people who have ankle arthroscopy get back on their feet sooner than those who have traditional open surgery. To have the smoothest ankle arthroscopy recovery, however, it's very important to follow all of Dr. Guan's instructions closely.
Physical therapy and activity modifications are a big part of your recovery, as with any surgical procedure.
To learn more about how minimally invasive ankle arthroscopy can help with your chronic ankle issue, call Bay Area Foot and Ankle Medical Clinic or schedule a consultation with Dr. Guan online.
